Underage Romany girl marries according to Romany customs


PRAGUE, Jan 12 (CTK) -
A 14-year-old Romany girl and a 15- year-old Romany boy get married according to the Romany customs on December 31, 2005, in Ostrava, north Moravia, the tabloid daily Sip writes today.

"The bride was chosen by the groom's parents when she was 13 and the families agreed that they will get married at the end of 2005," a person well informed of the Romany customs told Sip.

The wedding that is illegal according to Czech laws was attended by 300 guests from across the Czech Republic. The couple has already spent their wedding night, the daily says.

Romanies do not bother with the illegality of the marriage. The bride's mother has denied the marriage, saying that although the wedding took place, it was not the wedding of her daughter.

However, the witness told Sip" "She is lying because she knows that they did an illegal thing."

vv/dr/pv

EDITORIAL COMMENT:
This is indeed one practice that the Roma must abandon if they are to be considered to be getting more civilized. And the excuse that is it a tradition and was used because of slavery does not wash and also, in case they have not noticed as yet, slavery is over. Mind you, I guess for them it is not as they are still basically slaves of their baros and "kings".